Our History

The very first sexual assault center for women in Quebec was opened in 1975, in Montreal, following the feminist movement in the 1970’s. In 1977, L’Association Canadienne des Centre Contre le Viol (Canadian association for centers against sexual assaults) started. Then, during the summer of 1978 in the Eastern Townships, Madeleine Lacombe, a woman who teach Wendo (self-defense), created, with the help of other women, a center for victims of sexual assault. After many conferences, she realised that the police center as well as the hospitals in the area were not sufficiently equiped and adapted to give services to women who had been sexually assaulted. After 30 years ofexistence, the CALACS wanted to expand and give services to people outisde Sherbrooke. With the help of the Agence de santé et de services sociaux de l’Estrie (ASSSE) we were able to enlarge our clientele with the 7 different regions in Estrie.

In fact, year after year, the CALACS has been able to make itself known in the community by being present in the media and by creating partneships with the other organizations, as well as in the medical, juridical and academic field.